West
Woke cities and states reverse course and crack down on illegal drugs. Here's why
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Leaders in many cities have recently concluded that it was a bad idea to decriminalize hard drugs.
Unless you get your news from NPR, you already knew that allowing people to buy fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin without consequences would end in pain and chaos for both drug users and their communities.
Woke cities and states throughout the country are now scrambling to reinstall policies to restore law and order by deterring drug use.
Scenes of drug use and homelessness in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia on June 29, 2023. (Fox News Digital )
State lawmakers in Oregon, for example, recently passed a new law that put back in place criminal punishments for the possession of hard drugs. Lawmakers found this necessary a mere three years after voters passed Measure 110, a ballot initiative that limited criminal punishments for possessing hard drugs to only small fines – no jail time.
OREGON GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL RECRIMINALIZING HARD DRUGS, COMPLETING LIBERAL EXPERIMENT’S U-TURN
At the time, activists sold voters a bill of goods claiming that Measure 110 would help those with addiction. Activists seized upon the anti-cop riots in 2020 to argue that decriminalizing drugs would also give cops fewer reasons to “harass” drug users. Major activists lined up to fund the effort.
This foolishness sounded too good to people who have common sense, and it was.
Overdose deaths in Oregon shot up 44% between 2022 and 2023 – the highest increase in the nation. Law enforcement officers reported that rampant drug use also contributed to a 16.6% surge in violent crimes such as homicide, rape, assault and robbery from 2019 to 2022.
Activists claimed Measure 110 would help Black residents in particular. Instead, overdose rates among Black Oregonians doubled between 2020 and 2022. Today, one in 10 deaths among Black Oregonians results from a drug overdose.
Measure 110 failed those it purported to help in a deadly way.
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Oregon is not an outlier. San Francisco is walking back bone-deep, down-to-the-marrow stupid drug policies, too.
For years, local leaders allowed the City by the Bay to descend into chaos by declining to arrest or prosecute individuals who used illegal drugs in public. Open-air drug use became commonplace.
Many families left the city to avoid trudging through dirty needles and piles of human feces on their way to work. One deli owner found his “first dead body” while checking on the addicts who camped near his shop.
Californians seem willing to put up with a lot before reconsidering dumb dogma, but even San Francisco has its limits. Mayor London Breed recently announced that “change is coming,” including more funding for law enforcement to arrest those using drugs in public.
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These drug policy reversals are becoming the rule, not the exception. Other cities and states throughout the country – including Washington, D.C., Washington state and Boston – have taken steps to enforce drug laws after years of lax policies brought their residents nothing but misery.
Addiction is horrible. But policymakers cannot allow their empathy for Americans with addiction to blind them to the dangerous reality of drugs like fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.
Drug overdoses killed an estimated 112,000 Americans in 2023 – more than twice as many deaths as car crashes. Yet no sane lawmaker would legalize reckless driving. Heartbreaking stories in Oregon and San Francisco prove that deterrence must be part of the policymaking equation.
As cities and states work to replace failed, dumb crime policies with laws that deter drug use and promote safe communities, Congress must step up, too. That’s why I introduced the Fairness in Fentanyl Sentencing Act.
Fentanyl is a particularly deadly narcotic that Louisiana law enforcement has tied to 65% of our overdose deaths. My bill would hold drug dealers accountable by decreasing the amount of fentanyl a dealer has to possess before he faces a mandatory minimum sentence.
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Today, drug traffickers can carry enough fentanyl to kill every person in Shreveport, Louisiana, and still not face even a 10-year mandatory minimum prison sentence. Dealers caught with smaller amounts of less lethal drugs – such as methamphetamine or crack cocaine – face much longer sentences than those caught pushing fentanyl.
Lowering fentanyl possession limits would make sure fentanyl traffickers face punishments that reflect the deadliness of the poison they are peddling.
I don’t understand why some people seem wedded to the dumb-on-crime sentiments that San Francisco and Oregon have abandoned. The Fairness in Fentanyl Sentencing Act wouldn’t affect people suffering from addiction. It would only punish dealers for the hell they’re unleashing on too many innocent families. Still, a few of my colleagues have blocked every effort I’ve made to get this bill signed into law.
Overdose deaths don’t make cities more livable. Open-air drug use doesn’t make communities safer or cleaner. Fair, clear penalties help stop people from hurting themselves and their neighbors.
I hope more woke cities and states admit this and correct their dangerous policies before more Americans fall victim to drugs and stupidity.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM SEN. JOHN KENNEDY
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West
Bryan Kohberger's Amazon records are 'catastrophic' for defense, 'smoking gun' for prosecutors, experts say
New court filings in the Idaho student murders case could severely handicap suspect Bryan Kohberger’s defense, according to legal experts – he allegedly purchased a Ka-Bar knife on Amazon months before the murders and then shopped for a replacement days after they took place.
Bryan Kohberger, a 30-year-old former criminology Ph.D. student, is accused of using a large, bladed weapon to kill four University of Idaho undergrads – Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20 and Ethan Chapin, 20.
According to Latah County Coroner Cathy Mabbutt, all four victims died with multiple stab wounds. At least two of them were so intoxicated at the time of the attack that they were unable to resist at all, prosecutors wrote in court filings.
Under Mogen’s body, police found a Ka-Bar knife sheath, stamped with a United States Marine Corps logo and allegedly containing Kohberger’s DNA on the snap.
PROSECUTORS CLAP BACK AT BRYAN KOHBERGER’S ‘BUSHY EYEBROWS’ DENIAL BY SHARING ALLEGED SELFIE FROM DAY OF MURDERS
Prosecutors allege Bryan Kohberger took this selfie photo at 10:31 a.m. on November 13, 2022 – about 6 hours after the murders of four University of Idaho students he is accused of committing. (Ada County Court)
Prosecutors revealed in court filings this week that he allegedly bought a Ka-Bar, a sheath and a sharpener on Amazon in March 2022, months before the murders. Then, in the weeks after the murders, his Amazon app “click activity” allegedly shows he was browsing for a replacement.
Experts say the shopping list will be difficult for the defense to explain away, especially based on the timing and the specific details about what Kohberger was allegedly looking at.
That is a catastrophic fact for his defense.
“There’s always kind of this lore around that using a knife in a murder is particularly personal,” said Edwina Elcox, a Boise defense attorney who has been following the case. “And then the time frame of the search that links him, if this is correct, to this murder weapon shows a significant level, or at least I’m sure the prosecution would argue, shows a significant level of premeditation.”
She said that the slate of newly revealed evidence against Kohberger indicates prosecutors may have a stronger case than previously known.
Read the filing:
IDAHO COURT RELEASES SURVIVING ROOMMATES’ TEXT MESSAGES FROM NIGHT OF STUDENT MURDERS
Kohberger’s defense team has asked the court to keep his Amazon records out of the trial.
“The information that is publicly available is that …the murder weapon, other than the sheath, has never been recovered,” Elcox told Fox News Digital. “And then he is searching for this very, very specific item. This is beyond a catastrophic fact to the defense…I do not know how you explain that away.”
Madison Mogen, top left, smiles on the shoulders of her best friend, Kaylee Goncalves, as they pose with Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, and two other housemates in Goncalves’ final Instagram post, shared the day before the four students were stabbed to death. (@kayleegoncalves/Instagram)
For Joseph Giacalone, a retired NYPD sergeant and cold case investigator, the Amazon business records are yet another tool in the digital era that he believes will increasingly help law enforcement solve crimes going forward.
“Electronic evidence is gonna bring this case to a head for sure – it’s amazing,” he told Fox News Digital. “I said cellphone records, internet records and video surveillance are things that are gonna solve most cases going forward, but having this type of information is extremely damaging.”
WATCH: Father of slain Idaho student speaks out on new evidence in the case
Prosecutors made the revelation in response to Kohberger’s defense team trying to have evidence of his Amazon activity kept out of the trial, arguing in part that the retail giant’s algorithm “shapes user behavior” by serving up items it predicts shoppers want.
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A screenshot of Amazon.com shows a Ka-Bar knife for sale for under $100 on the shopping website. (Amazon)
“Applying the test for relevancy, first, Kohberger’s click activity which shows a purchase of a Ka-Bar knife and sheath before the homicides, makes it more probable (than it would be without the evidence) that the Ka-Bar sheath found at the crime scene was Bryan Kohberger’s,” Latah County Deputy Prosecutor Ashley Jennings wrote in a court filing made public Wednesday evening.
“Second, Kohberger’s click activity after the homicides makes it more probable (than it would be without the evidence) that Kohberger had a reason to search for a Ka-Bar knife and sheath after the homicides.”
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Bryan Kohberger arrives at Monroe County Courthouse in Pennsylvania in January 2023, prior to his extradition to Idaho to face murder charges. (The Image Direct for Fox News Digital)
Judge Steven Hippler this week denied Kohberger’s request to have an expert testify about the Amazon data at a hearing next month. He has not yet ruled on the motion to exclude the evidence.
FBI’S KOHBERGER DNA TACTICS DIDN’T VIOLATE LAW, BUT THEY RAISE ANOTHER PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERN
“This is the smoking gun evidence in the case,” said Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor in Los Angeles who has been following the case.
WATCH: Former prosecutor breaks down Bryan Kohberger’s Amazon history
The DNA connects Kohberger to the crime scene, and his Amazon history undermines a defense theory that it could have been planted, he said.
“This was a big mistake by Kohberger, who was otherwise very careful about covering his tracks,” he added.
The house at 1122 King Road in Moscow, Idaho, behind police tape on Nov. 15, 2022. Police say four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death inside on Nov. 13. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
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Kohberger was pursuing a Ph.D. in criminology at Washington State University, just 10 miles down the road from the University of Idaho crime scene.
“I think he fancies himself…as remarkably intelligent, but as somebody who has studied this field, you know that law enforcement and their searches cast a wide, wide net,” Elcox told Fox News Digital. “Having this in a searchable history format is…OK, you just have to wonder, I don’t think you’re maybe as smart as you thought you were.”
University of Idaho students from left to right: Ethan Chapin, 20; Xana Kernodle, 20; Madison Mogen, 21; and Kaylee Goncalves, 21. (Jazzmin Kernodle via AP/Instagram/ @kayleegoncalves)
Prosecutors have also alleged they traced his car, a white Hyundai Elantra, to and from the crime scene, that an eyewitness saw a masked man inside the home just after the murders, and that phone records also corroborate their alleged timeline of events. But Kohberger was not identified as a suspect until more than a month after the slaying with the help of investigative genetic genealogy.
While legal experts say the Amazon history is damming evidence, it also raises new questions for people who study the criminal mind, a topic Kohberger himself had studied at the graduate level. Was a suspect looking to replace a missing sheath, after leaving one behind at the crime scene, or a budding serial killer taking steps toward another kill?
State police forensics look for clues in Moscow, Idaho on Monday, Nov. 21, 2022. Four University of Idaho students were slain on Nov. 13 in this house. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
“I don’t think this killing was a one off – I think…whoever did this, they were likely to kill again,” Dr. Kris Mohandie, a criminal psychologist, told Fox News Digital. “If it was him, why would he kill like that unless he enjoyed it? Further, he was interested in serial killers.”
And although whoever committed the crime is believed to have taken steps to conceal their tracks, he added killers always make a mistake that catches up to them.
“I’ll guarantee you that scene didn’t have one fingerprint of his on it, nor did it have anyone else’s,” said John Kelly, a criminal profiler who has been following the case. “Because whoever did it wiped it down so well.”
Bryan Kohberger’s former apartment at Washington State University, Sunday, May 21, 2023. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)
BRYAN KOHBERGER DOESN’T WANT AMAZON SHOPPING LIST REVEALED AT TRIAL
While search warrants show police recovered knives after Kohberger’s arrest, none have been publicly identified as a potential murder weapon.
Kohberger’s trial is scheduled to begin Aug. 11 in Boise.
He could face the death penalty if convicted. A judge entered not-guilty pleas on his behalf at his arraignment in May 2023.
Read the full article from Here
San Francisco, CA
Video captures suspects stealing ATM, safes from San Francisco North Beach taqueria
Taqueria Zorro, a Mexican restaurant in San Francisco’s North Beach, was burglarized early Tuesday morning by what the owner described as the “SWAT of stealing.”
Tarik Kassis, the restaurant’s owner, provided CBS News Bay Area surveillance footage of the burglary.
The video shows several masked individuals, including some who appear armed. A crowbar and bolt cutters were used to break into the restaurant on Columbus Avenue and its office.
Video also shows the suspects driving in a white Honda Odyssey minivan with a clear shot of its license plate: 8GWX875.
An ATM and two safes were stolen, according to Kassis. He estimates about $10,000 was stolen.
The repairs to the restaurant are expected to take several weeks and costs an estimated $25,000, according to Kassis.
“They’re not just randomly hitting these places. They’re studying them. They’re hitting them. They have standard operating procedures. It’s a business for them. They know what they’re doing,” Kassis said. “They’re calm. They’re nonchalant. They’re not frantically moving around… They’re clearing rooms, making sure there’s no one down there. They’re like SWAT of stealing.”
No arrests have been made and the investigation into the burglary is ongoing, according to SFPD.
Kassis is offering his own reward in an effort to help solve the case. He’s offering free lunch for a month to anyone who provides information that leads to the identification and arrest of the suspects.
“Bring a friend,” he smiled. “Mi casa, su casa.”
Denver, CO
With contracts near expiration, Salvation Army's future with City of Denver's hotel shelters unclear
DENVER — Contracts allowing the Salvation Army to oversee two of the City of Denver’s hotel shelters are days away from expiration.
According to Denver City Councilwoman Shotel Lewis’ office, the current contracts for the former DoubleTree and Best Western Hotels along Quebec Street expire on March 31. It’s unclear if the city will renew the contracts with the Salvation Army or choose another service provider.
Lindsey Torres and her dog, Flynn, haven’t had an easy road.
“It’s been about a year almost,” said Torres, referring to her time living in city-owned shelters.
Now, she calls the former Best Western home.
“But sometimes I’d almost rather be outside,” admitted Torres.
Inside the hotel shelter is a lack of hot water, bugs and drug use, according to Torres.
“They do have roaches here. I was getting in the elevator and I could hear it walking on the wall,” said Torres.
There’s also a history of crime. Last week, the Denver Police Department arrested an employee accused of sexually assaulting a woman staying at the 4040 Quebec St. shelter. Last March, the former DoubleTree was the scene of a double homicide.
“You don’t want to have homicides happening within facilities in which we have stood up to house folks to get them off the streets,” said Councilwoman Shontel Lewis.
On Monday, Denver City Council rejected another nearly $3 million contract with the Salvation Army for homeless services.
“I would say my experience with the Salvation Army has been disappointing,” said Lewis.
- Hear from Councilwoman Shontel Lewis in the video player below
‘Deep and grave concerns about the Salvation Army’: Hear a Denver councilwoman’s passionate speech on homeless services
The councilwoman said it’s time to turn to community-based organizations for help.
“We have organizations that are providing food for hundreds of families on a weekly basis. We have community organizations that provide housing. We have community organizations that provide behavioral support. What they don’t have is the investment of the city,” said Lewis.
Denver7 took that idea to Amy Beck with Together Denver.
“Some of the people in the grassroots organizations already have connections with the folks here, already treat them with compassion and love and kindness, so it just makes sense,” said Beck.
But Beck said it all comes down to if the city wants to change course with its current plan.
“It comes down to if the mayor’s office wants to move in that direction because he’s already created this homelessness response and it’s not working,” said Beck.
We asked the Salvation Army about the possibility of losing the contracts. In a statement, a spokesperson said, “The Salvation Army is a proud partner of the city of Denver and would like to continue the Housing Now program together. If that’s not possible, we will continue the program with other funding for as long as it’s deemed possible
“We think we’re doing this work well. And we’re doing it from a place of deep care for our neighbors.”
If the contracts do expire, city officials said there are no plans to close the two shelters.
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